Jesus The Death of Christ

What is your opinion on the crucifixion of Jesus Christ?

What would it take for you to believe the Cross?

What would it take for you to change your heart and mind to what Christ accomplished on the cross?

The Jewish Leaders

In the last week of Jesus life we see several players. Several groups of people who are interested in Jesus Christ. The first group we see are the Sanhedrin. This group is the government of Israel, and they’re made up of Pharisees, Sadducees, Elders of the people, and some others. As a group they hated everything Jesus stood for and we see throughout their interactions with Jesus Christ that they were often the objects of His lessons to avoid. It is this group more so than any other that sent Jesus to the cross. In the Gospel of John, in chapter 18 and verse 14, we read that it was Caiaphas who first convinced the Sanhedrin that one man should die for the people. These words from the mouth of Caiaphas were prophetic words because that is exactly why Jesus came. In Romans 6:10, Paul says, For the death that [Jesus] died, He died to sin once for all. Likewise in Hebrews 9:12 we. In this passage The author of Hebrews goes into detail about the differences between the Old Testament Priesthood and that of Christ’s Priesthood. then immediately says, with [Jesus] own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. This passage in Hebrews tells us that salvation came by the one perfect death, Jesus Christ the righteous, and cannot come from any works of the flesh we do. Jude was one of Jesus younger brothers, his whole letter is written for the express purpose of asserting the one death for the many. Jude says in verse 3, Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you [encourage] (urge) you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

The Roman rulers.

The Sanhedrin had alreaady decided that Jesus is a heretic and needs to die. But to make it look all above board they needed Rome to issue and follow through with the death warrant on Jesus Christ. In this group I am placing both Pilate, who was Rome’s man in Judea, Samaria, and Idumea, and also Herod the Tetrarch, who was the son of Herod the Great, but also given his position by Rome to rule over Galilee. Both of these men didn’t really want to make any decision about what to do with Jesus Christ, so they have a short game of hot potato. Please open your Bible’s to Luke 23.

In verse 3 Pilate asks Jesus a direct question, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

He answered him and said, “It is as you say.”

4 So Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no fault in this Man.”

5 But they were the more fierce, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.”

6 When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked if the Man were a Galilean. 7 And as soon as he knew that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.

8 Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him. 9 Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing. 10 And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him. 11 Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate.

In this passage we find Pilate cannot find any tyruth in the accusations, and so passes Him off the Herod. When Jesus finally comes before Herod all He gets is stone silence. Jesus is not a circus act who performs on command. So after Herod ridicules and shames the Lord he sends Him back to Pilate. Pilate gives his verdict in v14-16, 14 “You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him. I will therefore chastise Him and release Him.”

Pilate then does the only thing left to him, and gives in to the crowd. He allows a guilty man to go free and sends the innocent man to the cross. The only reason Pilate did this was to appease the crowd. He then declares himself not guilty of killing the innocent man Jesus. In Matthews Gospel, chapter 27, and verse 24, we read, 24 When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.” But no amount of water can ever wash his hands of killing this innocent man, the Son of God.

The Crowd

I will only mention the crowd in passing really, but the Sanhedrin had worked the crowd up so much by this stage they were willing to receive the wrath of God upon themselves and future generations. In Matthew 27:25 the crowd replied to Pilate, “His blood be on us and on our children.” I will admit that I find this group the most difficult understand. You see, only several days prior to this at least some of these people may very well have been praising Jesus in His coronation on the day we call Palm Sunday. They were crying out words from Psalm 118 concerning the Messiah,

“Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!

Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Unfortunately, this crowd was easily swayed. This crowd, in opposition to Jesus’ innocence now cries, in John 19:15,

“Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!”

Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?”

The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!”

What a turn of events. The Jews have been waiting for the Messiah, the King of the Jews since the time of David, over a thousand years.

A man, who teaches with authority, demonstrates His worthiness with miraculous signs and wonders, comes into history showing that He is the Messiah, and is rejected.

Why is Jesus rejected as their King?

There are several reasons. But Ultimately Jesus was rejected by the people as King because this was the Will of God. God had declared that Jesus must die as the sin offering of many. In order for this to happen He must be rejected as the military and Political mighty man the people so desired. Jesus dying was not the new idea that most thought it was. It was first prophesied by God Himself in Genesis 3:15, And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

The Believers

The last group I would like to bring to your attention is the people who believed Jesus to be the Messiah, the rightful King of the Jews.

In verse 27 we read, And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him. Interesting that even along the road to Jesus’ death there were those who followed Him. These women were in great sorrow as they had come to love and cherish the Lord Jesus, as God’s prophet, the Great Teacher of Israel. They were also eyewitnesses of His real death on the cross, as they stood at a distance and watched the soldiers nail his hands and feet to the cross, as they watch the life ebb from His mortal body, and then watch as the soldier pierced his side with the spear.

The last person to believe in Jesus as the Christ before His death is one of the men hanging beside Him on the cross. Interestingly is that both criminals began to condemn Him but only one had a change of heart. He realized He was guilty of the crime he was dying, for but after what he had seen and heard in the trial and from Jesus as He hung from the cross, he decided that Jesus was dying unjustly, that Jesus was who He said He was, The King of the Jews. The long awaited Saviour.

In verse 40, Luke tells us what this man asked. But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

Paul in His epistle to the Romans 6:23, For the wages of sin is death.

But to show that it doesn’t matter how far down the track of sin and death you are, Luke demonstrates that even on your death bed there is time for salvation in Jesus Christ. Luke 23:43, And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Another man to note is the centurion. This centurion was guarding over the crucifixion and obviously watching the death of Jesus, intently. This centurion had, most likely, overseen many crucifixions in his time, but this one was different. He would have been at the trial, may even have enjoyed mocking Jesus and joined in the scourging. But his words at Jesus death show that he was seeing Jesus as with renewed eyes. Luke says in verse 47, 47 So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!”

In Matthew and Marks account of this, the centurion says, Truly this was the Son of God! In this account of the centurion I believe we have the very first post death Christian conversion. For the centurion to say what he said is unbelievable unless He truly did believe in Jesus. And in my opinion, His testimony is as great as Peter’s confession that Jesus was the Christ, in Luke chapter 9. These words were placed on the centurion’s lips by the Spirit of God as yet another eyewitness account of the truth and power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

In the trial and crucifixion of Jesus Christ the King of the Jews, we see several interested parties. The Jewish Leaders wanted Jesus out of the picture so they could continue in their privileged offices and in praise of men. The Roman Authorities just wanted all this to go away at any cost, and so sent Jesus Christ to die for the sake of peace. The Believers didn’t even have a full grasp on the significance of Jesus death was. It was only after Jesus’ resurrection that they begin to fully understand. The robber on the cross and the centurion, two hardened men were the only ones who saw Jesus, in the first instance, as their Saviour. They both believed Jesus words, which were confirmed through His suffering and death.

Which group do you belong to?

Do you see Jesus and the Gospel as your enemy, something to oppose vehemently?

Are you like the crowd?

Sitting on the fence, neither caring one way or the other. By the way, the fence is an illusion.

Or

Are you like the Robber or the Centurion?

They saw Jesus die and they heard His message. Both believed and were saved immediately.

The great news of Jesus Christ is that as long as there is breath in your body there is always time to turn to Him for salvation from sin and death. God knows the real you, He knows every evil and wicked thing you have ever thought and done. But He still offers His grace and mercy to all. The offer of Jesus as the Saviour is still available to you. There is no secret prayer that makes God hear you, just as long as you are sincere in asking Him to forgive you.

Will you turn to the Christ and be renewed to the Life He offers?

Let us pray.